Spray apparatus



P. P. APPLEBY SPRAY APPARATUS Oct. 29, 1957 Filed July 2. 1954 S N WM @M.NGE n @wmw Qm.

INVENTOR /C//L/D P PLBY ATTORNEY 2,811,059 SPRAY APPARATUS ApplicationJuly z, 1954, seri-a1 No. 441,002

s claims. (ci. zzo-,41)

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquid coolant, andmore particularly to apparatus for controlling the temperature of metalworking rolls, especially those employed in cold rolling mills of the4-high type, although not limited thereto. In the rolling of metal,particularly wide strip metal in cold reducing mills, dissipation of theheat generated by the work done on the metal and picked-up by the workrolls is necessary in order to prevent roll-overheating, loss of rollcontour control and uneven rolling, and this control of the rollvtemperature becomes increasingly imperative as rolling speeds areincreased. Conventionally liquid coolant is discharged onto the workrolls by means of several lines of sprays at different levels spacedoutwardly from each roll, each spray usually having a multiplicity ofaligned jets or nozzles,r and sometimes a deector for each nozzleV or asingle long one for all of them is used ,States Patent O to cause thedischarge from each'nozzle to assume a flat shape andto' spr`ea`dlengthwise of the roll. This is desirable, but considerable difficultywith such multiple nozzle sprays arises from the fact that the coolantVfrom each nozzlespreads or fans out in substantially a triangular formas viewed in plan. Because ofthis, the spacing of the sprays from therolls is very critical. a

n It is only when each spray is so spaced from the roll that thesetriangles of coolant meet just as they hit the, roll that there is aneven distribution of the coolant over the desiredv roll length. On theother hand, if the coolantsupply pressure' drops from a constant valueor theY spray istoo close 'to the roll, some of the roll is not cooleddirectly since the coolant from the nozzles has not Ytravelled farenough to spread out sufficiently and meet. Conversely, if the spray istoo far from the roll or'if the pressureY increases, the adjacenttriangles of coolant m'eet too Vsoon and overlap With'considerableturbulence and cause alternate areas along the roll to receive too YmuchorV too little coolant. Since the sprays have' to be adjusted toward oraway from the rolls as often as therolls are changed, or the coolantsupply pressurevaries, it becomes impossible to keep the sprays in suchproper relation to the rolls at all times that the jets of coolant from'each nozzle'will cover only a precise length of roll surface( Underthese circumstances, it is impossible properly to adjust the individualjets for volume as desired and needed to maintain the contours of therolls, and uneven rolling results. Since the amount of coolant requiredis constantly increasing due to higher rolling speeds, while space in amill is limited, it is not always 'possible' to lit the number ofnozzles with defiectors and piping thereto in the available space tosupply coolant in suicient volume to prevent undesired rise inrolltemperature.V Hence, an inadequate volume of coolant imposesdefinite limitations on rolling speeds or if the heat dissipatingcapacity of such sprays is exceeded for too long a time, there isliability ofthe rolls to swell beyond'the point where satisfactory gageand flatness of metal will be produced, with resultant loss ofrolled'niaterial.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, all of theseditliculties are overcome to such an extent that high speed rolling maybe carried on with highly efficient results, in the quality and yield ofproduct, and With elimination of frequent and troublesome spray positionadjusting operations.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide roll coolingapparatus which shall be effective for controlling the temperature ofmetal working rolls throughout the desired extentof their lengths, andto be capable of supplying the coolant tothe rolls in quantitiesadequate to dissipate the heat therefrom as rapidly as they accumulateheat resulting inthe maintenance of sufficiently low roll temperaturesat relatively high rolling speeds to prevent loss of roll contourcontrol.

Another object is to provide a mill roll cooling apparatus of suchconstruction that it will be effective to discharge a solid sheet ofliquid coolant of uniform crosssection against the surface of the rollthroughout the desired length of the roll regardless of variations inthe coolant supply pressure and in the spacing of the apparatus from theroll.

A further object is the provision of a liquid coolant discharge or spraydevice incorporating a continuous discharge slot, with internal meansfor dividing the passageway through the slot into a series ofcontiguous, but independently controllable, discharge outlets of equallengths, whereby to permit selective zone cooling of any desired portionof the length of the roll.

Still another object is the provision of a liquid discharge type of rollcooling device specifically of simplified and improved form and which iseasy and economical to con-l struct and install, and which occupies aminimum of mill space adjacent to the rolls.` j r Yet another object isto` provide a coolant discharge device of tubularform having acontinuous discharge slot in the Wall thereof and internally dividedinto 'Zones by a simple core element, each zonexsupplied byA an inlet,and simple means in each zone to cause it to. put out through thedischarge slot a substantially parallel sidedu streamofcoolant.

These and further objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description and explanation which refer to theaccompanying drawing illustrating several embodiments which theinvention may take and wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a 4-high mill with thework roll cooling devices, in one form of the invention, mounted inoperative position; v

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view, partly in section and on an enlargedscale, showing the extended bracket mounting for the uppermost spraydevice shown in Fig. 1;'

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one of the cooling devicesand showing the preferred form thereof;V

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken 0n theline IV-IV of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and showing a dif-V ferent form oftheinvention. l j a L Referring first to Fig.g1v of 'the drawing,"A`represents a rollover which strip material S maypass to enter thel bitebetween a pair of work rolls B, the latter beingv backed-up by largediameter backing rolls'zC. The,niiIlV rolls B and C aregjournalled'inVrollneck bearings; not" shown, which are`moun`ted in spacedmill"housings, H, representing a portion of one ofthe housings.` AOn theinner face of each housing, there is suitably mounted 'a' supportingplate 10 extending across the usual window in the housing toa point nearthe work'rolls B at the fentry side thereof. i v y Detachably secured tothese plates 10 'aremounting plates ,11 and, 12 in wliihLdischargetubcS;er. Sprays .l

and K14 are journalled at their ends nfor discharging liquid coolantonto the top work roll. The uppermost tube 13 is located in the valleybetween the work roll and its backing roll to permit downward dischargeo f the coolant high upA on the work roll, so as to promote a smooth owof coolant along the Vroll sur-f'acetwith lesswbouncing of the coolantoiv the roll vsurface.- ThisV positioning of the top tube 13 alsoresults in a minimum Aof coolant reaching the backing roll Cv and beingthrown out of the mill due -to the high peripheral speed of' the backingroll.4 lThe other discharge tubel 14 is located near the middle ofthework roll and also discharges" downwardly. This smooth flow isenhanced by adjusting the Ytubes angularly about their axes to bring.the discharge paths from their outlets into substantially tangentialrelation to the roll surface'. To this end, each tube is provided nearits ends with an arm 1S formed with an arcuate slot 16 through which abolt 17, threaded into the adjacent mounting plate, extends to clamp thetube in adjustment.

Since the work rolls are redressed as needed and, hence, become smallerin diameter, vertical adjustment of the discharge tube 13 is aorded byproviding vertical slots 18 in the mounting plates 11, through whichslots the clamping bolts 19 for the plates 11 extend. The back of eachplate 11 is provided with a key slot 20 which receives a vertical key 21secured to the face of the plate 10, so as to prevent tilting of the toptube 13 in all positions of vertical adjustment. The tube 13, of course,normally remains in fixed operating position, and vertical adjustmentthereof is etected only as the need to avoid interference with the topbacking roll arises which occurs only after the work rolls have givenmuch service and have been reground many times.

For cooling the lower work roll, two similar coolant discharge tubes orsprays 22 and 23 are provided. They are located near the middle of thebottom work roll and discharged upwardly and downwardly, respectively,in paths substantially tangential to the roll, as shown, the downwardflow of the coolant from tube 23 giving maximum scrubbing action on thework rolls. They are journalled in mounting plates 24, below the millpass line, and have arms for permitting angular adjustment thereof, induplication of the mounting and adjustment of the discharge tube 14.

Each of the four roll cooling devices is of duplicate construction andthe only difference to be noted is that the outlets from 13 and 23 arein right angle relation to-"thcir inlets, whereas the outlets from 14and 22 are opposite their inlets. Their construction, in preferred form,is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

Referring thereto, each device comprises a tube 25 and an internal core26 that projects equal amounts-from the ends of the tube. Near its ends,the core is formed with a closure plug or disc 27 which iits inside tube25 and is welded thereto in a liquid tight connection. Outside eachplug,a hub 28 is formed on the core-on which the arm 15 is received, a key29, or other suitable means, being provided to hold) the arm againstyrotation on the hub. Beyond each hub, the core terminates in a trunnion30, whereby the integrated tube and coreunit may be journalled in themountingv plates, as hereinabove described. I

A continuous lengthwise slot or outlet 31 having a smooth surface finishis provided in the wall of tube 25 and it terminates' an appropriatedistance from each end offthe tube. Preferably, a'thick walled tubevisusedso that it will withstand the internal pressure of the liquidcoolant therein without the slot-openingup-I The slot length-is madecoextensive with the length of work roll uponjwhich it is desired toimpinge'theV coolant and, for example,.ma`y be 643inchessfor'a 72 inchmill.` VThe core isformed with aseries ofintegralnariow'rings or'collars 32 at equally spaced intervals, such as 4 inches'for example;alon'g'its' length withinfthe tube' which constitute partitiomwausadivinal the interior of the tube.:r into- 'a1' series of individualcompartments or chambers 33 and subdivide the slot 31 into an evennumber of equal length sections or zones without entering it. Theserings engage the inner wall of the tube with a snug fit, a liquid tighttit being unnecessary, so that the core and tube mutually reinforce eachother for greater lateral stiffness.

The slot 31 constitutes an outlet from each chamber and an inlet 34 is`provided for each chamber. The inlets are regularly spaced inline anddisposed at the desired angular relation to the outlet. Preferably, thepartition collars 32 are disposed midway between adjacent inlets. Eachinlet may suitably include a half length of a 1/2 inch pipe couplingwelded to the tube 25 into which a male end fitting 352' of aiiexiblehose 35 may be threaded, the hose permitting angular adjustment of thetube 25 about its axis, as above described.

Any suitable valve controlled pipe line arrangement may be used todeliver a suitable coolant to the inlets. However, exibility of controlof the sprays in zones or sections both vertically and lengthwise of therolls is desirable and it is further desirable to provide individualthrottling of each outlet along the face of the top work roll, inaccordance with known practice. In the present instance and as shownschematically in Fig. l, two supply headers 36 and 37 provided withoutlet valves 38 and 39 are located, one above the other, at theoperators station at the delivery side of the mil. Pipe lines 40 and 41run from the valves to the entry side of the mill, above the pass line,and terminate in Ts 42 and 43, with branch lines 40a and 41a extendingto Ts 44 and 45 below the pass line. The flexible hoses 35 of twoadjacent inlets of the spray tubes 22 and 23 are connected to the Ts 44and 45, respectively; while the exible hoses of the corresponding twoadjacent inlets of the upper spray tubes 13 and 14 are connected to theTs 43 and 42, respectively, with a throttling cock 46 inserted in eachconnection. Duplicates of these two outlet valves and their pipe lineconnectionsl to the remaining pairs of inlets on the respective spraytubes, of course, are provided; there being as many such valves 38 and39 spaced in line on the two headers as there are inlets on one spraytube, for example 16 for a spray tube provided with 16 inletscontrolling 4 inches of spray width. Four inlets (two each on 14 and 22or 13 and 23) are connected to each valve, thereby reducing by onefourth the number of valves and pipe lines. To cover an exemplary 8 inchwide zone from top to bottom, two valves identitied with that zone, oneon each header, may be operated and likewise for the other verticalzones across the face of the rolls. Also, each valve controls theexemplary 8 inch wide zone of an up per and alower spray. The series ofvalves 38 and 39 thus afford iiexible overall control of the sprayswhich the operator may adjust to give the desired results without evenseeing them, while further and line control is afforded bythe throttlingcocks 46 of the top sprays 13 and 14.

The coolant may be supplied to the headers from a suitable pressuresource, not shown.

The purpose of the core is threefold; to separate the discharge tubeinto a multiplicity of spray sections or zones, each supplied by aninlet, to cause the incoming coolant to spread within each zone and owuniformly and smoothly from the outlet in a at, substantially paral-.lel sided stream, and to provide a pivot at each end for mounting in asuitable bearing. The second is of extreme importance in order toeliminate overlapping and turbulence where the outtiow from the zonesmeet. It has been found that a core of round section will not spread ordistribute the inlet flow properly, and the resultant discharge fromeach zone fanned out and overlapped the discharge from adjacent zoneswith considerable turbulence, as with sprays having nozzles. It hasfurther been found that `a suitable deliector carried by or integral'with theV core and having al substantially fiat or slightly concavedeecting surface directly opposite or facing the' inlet will spread theinlet flow properly and produce a substantially parallel sided streamfrom each zone. Accordingly, in the preferred construction, the body ofthe core in each chamber, for a length substantially equal to that ofthe outlet therefrom, is formed with a substantially flat deflectingsurface or chord face 47 centered on and normal to the axis of inlet 34and of a Width preferably slightly larger than the diameter of the inletinto the chamber, as shown in Fig. 4, which inlet diameter may be equalto either the inside or outside diameter of the hose fitting 35a. Thethickness of the annular space between the inside wall of tube and thebody of the core is also made greater than the width of the outlet 31 soas to give full ow from the inlet to the outlet.

In operation, with the valves 36, 37 and 46 open, the coolant enters thechambers 33 through the inlets 34, strikes the interceptingperpendicular deector surfaces 47 of the core, and is caused thereby tospread out in radial directions and ow to the ends of the chambers, aswell as around the body of the core, and discharges through the slot 31.The total area of the slot 31, of course, is less than the combinedareas of the inlets to produce a pressure discharge. Due to theinterception and spreading of the full area of the incoming stream ofcoolant within each chamber, the stream of coolant discharging from eachchamber through its outlet is smooth and uniform in section and issubstantially parallel-sided with just enough expansion to meet withadjacent streams with no appreciable turbulence and stream thickening.As a result, a solid sheet of coolant of uniform cross-section is formedby jointure of the individual streams before reaching the rolls and thissheet of coolant impinges against the roll surface tangentially andflows quite smoothly and uniformly thereover. In practice, this hasproven effective for controlling the roll temperature under maximumrolling speeds, since more coolant may be supplied by such sheet thancould ow through that number of nozzles with deectors which would t inthe same space. A further advantage is that the integrity of the sheetof coolant is unaffected by variations in the supply pressure and, sincedivergent triangles of coolant are not formed, the position of thedischarge tubes toward or away from the roll is not critical to completecoverage of the desired length of roll surface.

The heretofore described zone control of the sprays by operation of thevalves 38 and 39 enables the volume of coolant discharged in each zonelengthwise of the rolls to beA regulated from full flow to shut-offindependently of its neighboring zone, thereby permitting the operatorto eiect very close roll temperature and contour control, in accordancewith the conditions. The cocks 46 are useful asa supplemental control,permittingvariable throttling or cut-out of each chamber of the topsprays 13 and 14. A small amount of leakage past the rings 32 into achamber or a pair of chambers constituting a zone which has been cut-offby valve closure may occur, but is not harmful since no pressure willdevelop in the unused chamber or chambers and the leakage coolanttherein will not be projected to the rolls.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, a tube 2S, with spacedinlets 34a, corresponds to the tube 25, but is provided with a wideoutlet slot 319- which is made adjustable by means of a pair of arcuateplates 48 of a length equal, at least, to that of slot 31a and clampedto the tube 25a by means of screws 49 spaced along the length of theplates. The screws pass through enlarged holes in the plates, therebypermitting the plates to be adjusted toward and away from each other soas to provide the desired width of outlet 50 therebetween.

Inside tube 25a, a core 51, formed from substantially square bar stockso as to require very little machining, is used. lt is turned down atits ends to provide trunnions, as indicated at 52, for journalling inthe mounting plates, arms corresponding to arms 15 being slipped on thecore inside each trunnion so as to permit angular adjustment of thedischarge tube. Along its length inside the tube, the core has weldedthereto a series of narrow discs or rings 53 which correspond to therings 32 and serve to divide the tube intova series of chambers, eachserved by an inlet. The core falso is provided with closure discs,functionally corresponding to plugs 27, to which the ends of tube 25adare welded in a se-aled joint. A size of bar stock is selected such thatthe width of its sides substantially equals, but preferably slightlyexceeds the diameter of the inlets into the chambers and one side iscentered on and faces the inlets in perpendicular relationship the-reto,thereby causing the coolant inflow to be intercepted and spread ordeflected to the ends of each chamber and produce a substantiallyparallel-sided outflow or discharge stream.

While specific constructional forms of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto, since various modifications and changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof asdefined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus for cooling a rolling mill roll or the like comprising anelongated tube having a continuous lengthwise discharge slot terminatingshort ofthe ends of the tube for discharging coolant onto the roll, aseries of spaced inlets for said tube, i'n-line and angularly spacedfrom said discharge slot, means for sealing the ends of said tube andfor journalling the same for rotative adjustment on its longitudinalaxis, a central core in said tube in spaced relation thereto and securedto the ends thereof, a series of narrow, raised ring elements on saidcore at points between said inlets and engaging the inner wall of thetube to divide the tube into a series of individual chambers, said corebeing formed with a substantially flat chord face forming a deflectingsurface in each chamber, centered on and facing the inlet thereof inperpendicular relation thereto, said chord face being of a lengthsubstantially equal to that of the outlet from each chamber and of awidth slightly larger than the diameter of the inlet into each chamber,whereby to cause the coolant inflow to spread to the ends of the chamberand produce a substantially parallel-sided outflow stream therefrom andmeans connected to said inlet for conducting liquid coolant thereto.

2. Apparatus for cooling a rolling mill roll or the like comprising an`elongated tube having a continuous lengthwise discharge slotterminating short of theends of the tube for discharging coolant ontothe roll, a series of spaced inlets for said tube, in-line and angularlyspaced from said discharge slot, a central core in said tube in spacedrelation thereto and extending equal distances past the ends thereof,closure plugs on said core fitting inside the ends of said tube andwelded thereto, trunnions formed on the ends of said core, mountingplates in which said trunnions are journalled, for adjustment of saidtube on its axis to bring said discharge slot into preselected angulardirection of discharge, arms extending outwardly from the ends of saidtube and adapted to be clamped to said mounting plates to hold said tubein adjusted position, a series of narrow, raised ring elements on saidcore within said tube at points between said inlets and engaging theinner wall of the said tube to divide the tube into a. series ofindividual chambers, a substantially at deflecting surface on the lengthof said core in each chamber, centered on and facing the inlet inperpendicular relation thereto, and of a width slightly larger than thediameter of the inlet into the chamber whereby to cause the coolantinflow to spread to the ends of the chamber and produce a substantiallyparallel-sided outow stream therefrom, and means connected to saidinlets for conducting liquid coolant thereto.

3. Apparatus for cooling a rolling mill roll or the like comprising anelongated tube having a continuous lengthwise discharge slot terminatingshort of the ends of the tube for discharging coolant onto the roll, aseries of in lets for said tube, in-line and angularly spaced from saiddischarge slot, means for sea-ling the ends of said tube and forjournalling the same for rotative adjustment on its longitudinal axis, asubstantially square core in said tube in spaced relation thereto andsecured to the ends thereof, a series of narrow, raised ring elementssecured to said core at points between said inlets and engaging theinner wall of the tube to divide the tube into a series of indivi-dualchambers, said core having sides of a Width substantially equal to theinlet diameter and being disposed with one side centered on and facingsaid inlets in perpendicular relation thereto, whereby to cause thecoolant inflow to spread and produce a substantially parallel-sidedoutflow stream from each chamber, and means including flexible hoseconnections to each of said inlets for supplying liquid coolant to saidchambers.

4. In apparatus for controlling the temperature of a rolling mill roll,the combination with an elongated tube closed at its ends, a continuousdischarge outlet through the wall of said tube for discharging liquidcoolant onto the mill roll, means for supporting said tube at its endsfor rotative adiustrnent on its axis, of a core spaced from the innerwall of said tube and extending end-to-end thereof in fixed relationthereto, spaced partition walls carried by said core dividing the spacebetween the tube and core into a series of individual chambers, an inletfor each chamber langularly spaced from said outlet, means for supplyingliquid coolant to each inlet, and deflector means on said core spacedfrom said tube and provi-ding a substantially flat deilecting surface ineach chamber of a length substantially equal to that of the outlettherefrom, said defleetor means being disposed with its said dellectingsurface centered on and facing the inlet of each chamber inperpendicular relation thereto and being of a width sufficient tointercept and spread 8 the cooa'nt inflow within the chamber and producea substantially parallel-sided outflow stream therefrom.

5. A liquid coolant discharge device for a rolling mill roll and thelike' comprising an elongated tube closed at both: ends and having acontinuous Idischarge slot terminatingsliortof the ends of the tube forpressure discharge Yof the coolant onto the roll, means for journallingsaid tube' at its ends in parallelism with the mill roll axis forrotative Iadjustment on its longitudinal axis, core means' disposed insaid tube in fixed spaced relation to the inner wall thereof andincluding a series of equally spaced narrow partition walls engaging theinner Wal-l of said tubel and dividing the tube into a series ofseparate chambers,` said slot constituting an outlet from each chamber,inlet for each chamber spaced from its outlet, means including aseriesof valve controlled pipe lines, each connected to one of saidinlets for conducting coolant under pressure to said chambers, fordischarge therefromv in selectively controllable zones, and asubstantially flat-faced dellecto'r in each chamber in spaced,perpendicular relation to the inlet thereof and of a face area at leastequal toj the area of Said inlet for spreading the inilow stream ofcoolant in radial directions Within each chamber and: produceasubstantially parallel-sided discharge' stream therefrom.

References' cited in the are of this patent tmr'rEDl STATES PATENTS489,388V McNaney Jan. 3, 1893 996,767 Jackson July 4, 1911 V1,425,196Grossenbacher Aug. 8, 1922 2,017,403 L orig et al. Oct. 15, 19352,234,153,V Herbert Mar. 4, 1941 2,550,899. Zsamboky May 1, 1951

